Police pay respects to murdered officer

Members of the Chicago Police Department paid their respects to the family of a fellow officer Tuesday. Visitation was held Tuesday for Thor Soderberg, 43, who was shot and killed last week outside a police facility in the city's Englewood community.

The officer had attended the recent funerals of his colleagues, and now Soderberg is being remembered as a man with a passion for Chicago and for enriching the lives of young people.

As people waited patiently in a long line that wrapped around a Northwest Side funeral home to pay their respects to Soderberg, the slain officer's best friend on the police department shared his thoughts.

"He spent a lot of time in the community. He loved mentoring people. He loved teaching young people to grow up and be young adults and better community people," said Randy Jalloway, Soderberg's friend.

Attending the wake were cadets that Soderburg taught in the police academy. Those students are set to graduate Wednesday.

In addition to being assigned to the education and training division, Soderberg was also working on Operation Protect Youth, a specialized unit housed in an old police station. The 43-year-old officer was leaving that facility July 7 when he was shot and killed with his own weapon.

Police say the suspect, 24-year-old Bryant Brewer, approached Soderberg from behind and grabbed his gun. Brewer was subsequently shot and injured by police.

Brewer faces several charges including first-degree murder and attempted murder.

There will be a private funeral Wednesday for Soderberg, at the request of his wife, and a public memorial on Thursday.